ArcelorMittal's Ukrainian steel operation, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, was hit by a ballistic missile strike on Saturday, September 12. This attack, the second in five weeks, resulted in the deaths of two contractors and injuries to two employees. The strike damaged the plant's ironmaking complex #1, leading to the suspension of primary steel production. Other facilities at the plant are either idled or operating at minimum levels, and the company has stated it is too early to provide a credible estimate for the duration of repair works.
The recent missile strike is part of a broader series of attacks that have significantly impacted Ukraine's steel industry. Russian ballistic missile strikes have reportedly disabled all three remaining major steel plants in Ukraine, including two Metinvest enterprises and ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih. These plants, located in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovska regions, collectively accounted for 90% of Ukraine's national steel output. Metinvest and ArcelorMittal have confirmed that these facilities have suspended all production operations, leaving technical teams to assess the damage.
Oleksandr Vodoviz, head of the office of Metinvest's chief executive, stated that Ukraine "no longer has a steel industry" as of September 20. The ongoing attacks have targeted blast furnace infrastructure and have even struck facilities multiple times to prevent repair efforts. For instance, Zaporizhstal, a Metinvest plant, has been hit four times in approximately a month. The indefinite idling of these steel complexes jeopardizes the livelihoods of more than 15,000 employees and is expected to lead to severe macroeconomic repercussions for Ukraine, including a loss of an estimated $1.5 billion in tax revenue.
